Green is healthy

Some things are well known by instinct. Yet when research backs what we already know, we feel good about it, right? So, now that yet another study tells us that forests and other natural, green settings can reduce stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness, we agree.

Forest visits may also strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells, says a study by Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metla.

Many studies show that after stressful or concentration-demanding situations, people recover faster and better in natural environments than in urban settings. Blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the level of "stress hormones" all decrease faster in natural settings. Depression, anger and aggressiveness are reduced in green environments and ADHD symptoms in children reduce when they play in green settings.

Preserving green areas and trees in cities is very important to help people recover from stress, maintain health and cure diseases. There is also monetary value in improving people's working ability and reducing health care costs, as one of the team says.

But in the final reckoning, trees in cities are giving way to wider and wider roads to facilitate more vehicles. We seem to be wantonly destroying that which is beneficial to our health.